Water Changes In A Mature Tank...

[WillyRBeek]

I have 2 fully cycled 25 gallon tanks, one's been up and running for about 4-5 months, the other for about 1 1/2-2 months. I do roughly a 25% water change every week in them, but i'm wondering, if I upped it to 2 25% water changes a week, would that do any harm?

 

[rossyboy]

Is there any reason why you're thinking about doing this at all WillyRBeek ?

I'm no expert but i think what's practically 50% water change a week is too much?

 

[WillyRBeek]

Is there any reason why you're thinking about doing this at all WillyRBeek ?

I'm no expert but i think what's practically 50% water change a week is too much?

No real particular reason, but I was thinking if it didn't hurt, and/or could benefit the health of the fish, why not? With the system I have set up, it's not really all that much work, only about 7 or 8 minutes to completely do each tank.

 

[Corleone]

It wouldn't hurt. It might even be necessary with some highly sensitive fish or heavily stocked tanks.

As long as the filter media isn't dry and the fish aren't flopping around on the gravel at some point, more water changes never hurt.

 

[waterdrop]

agree with Corleone

but at that high frequency, wouldn't hurt if you had to miss one occasionally

 

[WillyRBeek]

It wouldn't hurt. It might even be necessary with some highly sensitive fish or heavily stocked tanks.

As long as the filter media isn't dry and the fish aren't flopping around on the gravel at some point, more water changes never hurt.

I don't believe either tank is overstocked at the moment, although the gourami tank may become overstocked in the future as the gourami's grow, i'm not sure. Here's what I have in each tank.

Older tank:

1 angel fish(I might need to rehome him eventually, but at the moment he's little more then an inch in length)
3 platys(2 sunset, one "milk and ink")
3 neon tetras
2 red eye tetras
7 bronze corys
1 bristlenose pleco
1 danio(Not exactly sure what the name of it is, it's about an inch in length and has pink and black stripes running horizontally on it)

Newer tank:

2 Opaline Gouramis
1 Gold Gourami
1 Pearl Gourami
1 Silver Gourami
7 Peppered corys
1 Clown Pleco

All of the Gouramis are roughly about 2 inchs in length at the moment, except for 1 of the Opaline's, he's a bit bigger then the rest, probably about 2 1/2 inchs, which reminds me of another question: The bigger Gourami does not seem to be very sociable. All 5 of the gouramis are females, and the 4 smaller ones spend 90% of their day up in the front right hand corner of the tank, just mulling around. The large Opaline one though, spends almost all day hiding in the school house decoration I have. She occasionally pokes her head out and has a look around, but usually only for a moment, then she goes back into the school house. She seems to be in good health, her fins look fine and I havn't noticed any of the other fish hassling her. I know this is common behavior for female gouramis when there are male gouramis about, but mine are all females, so i'm a little curious as to why she's so anti-social, while the rest of them aren't.

Aside from that though, all the fish in all the tanks appear to be in good health.

 

[backtotropical]

WillyRBeek,

Water changes will always be beneficial so long as the new water roughly matches the temperature, pH and hardness of the old water, and is properly dechlorinated.

If you change the water once every week at the moment, your tank water will never be too far from the tap water when considering pH or hardness, so roughly match the temperature and dechlorinate, and you can basically change as much water as you like. As far as the fish are concerned, the more the better. 50% per week may be considered by some to be 'unnecessary', but it can only benefit the fish. I personally change at least 50% once per week, sometimes twice per week.

There is too many rumours banded around the hobby that water changes can be harmful, and this can be the case in a minority of circumstances, usually when the tank has went without a water change for many months and 'Old Tank Syndrome' has set in, but in 99% of cases (yours included), follow the rules i laid out above and water changes will never be anything but beneficial.

Good luck mate, and your fish will love you for the extra fresh water!!

BTT

 

[jonnyf84]

I always do a 40 - 50% water change weekly, the fish seem t appeciate it.